Devices and methods for applying adhesive liner-less security labels to articles

Abstract

A liner-less seal application system is programmed to generate a real time seal, the serial number of which is data-matched with product label data on an approaching article. The image is printed onto the adhesive surface of the sealing tape. A vacuum drive belt has both low and high vacuum sections to assist in moving the sealing tape along a vacuum drive belt toward the print head. The real-time seal is printed while the belt drive indexes the tape, and the cutting action is done while the system collects data and the belt drive is stationary. There is only one stepper motor employed to drive the vacuum belt. The vacuum belt drive pulls the tape from the unwind assembly and feeds the tape through the print head and onto the vacuum drum applicator. A perforator device bursts perforation across the round element of the seal image, as an anti-tampering measure.

1 . A label application system for applying liner-less labels comprising adhesive tape to passing articles on a conveyor, comprising:
 a dispenser for dispensing adhesive tape;   a vacuum drive belt unit comprising a drive belt onto which the adhesive tape dispensed by the dispenser is received and retained, the adhesive tape being received onto the drive belt so that its non adhesive side contacts the drive belt and its adhesive side faces up, the adhesive tape being retained on the drive belt by vacuum fans beneath the drive belt;   a print head for printing information on the adhesive side of the tape as it passes adjacent to the print head;   a cutter for cutting the tape; and   an applicator for applying the printed, cut portion of tape onto an article passing on the conveyor.   
     
     
         2 . The label application system as recited in  claim 1 , and further comprising a controller having a processor for determining the information to be printed on the tape, wherein said information comprises a real-time seal to ensure that the passing article is tamper-proof 
     
     
         3 . The label application system as recited in  claim 2 , and further comprising a reader located adjacent to the applicator, for reading product labels on articles as they approach the applicator on the conveyor, and transmitting the read information on the product labels to the processor. 
     
     
         4 . The label application system as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the reader comprises a barcode reader. 
     
     
         5 . The label application system as recited in  claim 1 , and further comprising a perforator for perforating or delaminating the tape in the printed area, thereby weakening the tape to cause the printed portion of the tape to break if tampered with. 
     
     
         6 . The label application system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum drive belt comprises a relatively high vacuum section and a relatively low vacuum section, for providing forward control of the tape along its feedpath. 
     
     
         7 . The label application system as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the relatively high vacuum section on the vacuum drive belt is adjacent to the cutter, and the relatively low vacuum section on the vacuum drive belt is adjacent to the print head. 
     
     
         8 . The label application system as recited in  claim 3 , and further comprising a second reader downstream of said reader, for verifying that the information printed on the tape disposed on a passing article matches the information on the product label disposed on the same article. 
     
     
         9 . The label application system as recited in  claim 1 , and further comprising wipers for ensuring that the printed, cut portion of tape is applied securely to multiple sides of the passing article. 
     
     
         10 . A label application system for applying liner-less security seals comprising adhesive tape to passing articles on a conveyor, comprising:
 a dispenser for dispensing adhesive tape;   a drive belt onto which the adhesive tape dispensed by the dispenser is received and retained, the adhesive tape being received onto the drive belt so that its non adhesive side contacts the drive belt and its adhesive side faces up;   a controller having a processor for directing the operation of the system;   a reader adjacent to the conveyor for reading a product label disposed on a face of an article to be sealed, and transmitting the read information to the processor;   a print head for printing information on the adhesive side of the tape as it passes adjacent to the print head;   a cutter for cutting the tape; and   an applicator for applying the printed, cut portion of tape onto an article passing on the conveyor.   
     
     
         11 . The label application system as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the information applied by the print head onto the tape is received from the processor and derived from the information read by the reader from the product label. 
     
     
         12 . The label application system as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the applicator comprises a vacuum drum applicator. 
     
     
         13 . The label application system as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the reader comprises a barcode reader. 
     
     
         14 . The label application system as recited in  claim 10 , and further comprising a perforator for perforating or delaminating the tape in the printed area, thereby weakening the tape to cause the printed portion of the tape to break if tampered with. 
     
     
         15 . The label application system as recited in  claim 10 , and further comprising a second reader downstream of said reader, for verifying that the information printed on the tape disposed on a passing article matches the information on the product label disposed on the same article. 
     
     
         16 . A method of applying tamper-resistant seals to passing articles, comprising:
 advancing a length of adhesive tape along a feedpath onto a vacuum drive belt, the tape having an adhesive side and a non-adhesive side, wherein the adhesive side contacts the vacuum drive belt and the non-adhesive side faces upwardly;   reading information contained on a product label disposed on an article approaching a seal applicator and transmitting that information to a processor;   using the information from the product label obtained by the reading step to cause the processor to generate information specific to the approaching article and to transmit that information to a print-head;   using the print head to apply the specific information generated by the processor to a portion of the adhesive side of the tape as it passes adjacent to the print head;   cutting the printed portion of the tape from a remaining length of tape, and feeding the cut portion to an applicator; and   applying the cut and printed portion of the tape to the approaching article.   
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , and further comprising a step of perforating portions of the cut and printed portion of tape, on its printed region, to weaken it so that any tampering with the seal will cause the seal to break and thus comprise visible evidence of the tampering. 
     
     
         18 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , and further comprising a step of applying differential levels of vacuum pressure to different regions of the vacuum drive belt to assist in moving the tape forwardly along the drive belt. 
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the differential levels of vacuum pressure applying step further comprises applying a relatively high level of vacuum pressure adjacent to a cutter for performing the cutting step and applying a relatively low level of vacuum pressure adjacent to the print head. 
     
     
         20 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , and further comprising a step of reading the information applied to the seal by the print head after the sealed article has passed further downstream on the conveyor, and transmitting the read information to the processor to ensure that it matches the information originally read on the product label during the first reading step.